B&W 802D2 versus B&W 800D2

[skwitko]

I've changed my B&W 802 D2 for a B&W 800 D2 one year ago, so the burn-in period were totally fullfilled (like I did with the 802 D2). My electronics, cables, listening room and speaker position are exactly the same. The room is 13 by 20 feet. The speakers are approximately 1.6 feet from the walls and around 8 feet apart each other, and 8 feet away from the listening position. I just changed the speakers, from 802D2 to 800D2, nothing else, . Bass is much better with the 800 D2, but midrange and high frequencies were better with the 802 D2. They were cleaner and softer. I think the 800D2 need a larger room ... Any thoughts or similar experience?

[5th element]

Did you put this in the wrong forums?

It's possible that the effect is psychoacoustic. Both have the same mid/tweeter. It's possible that the added bass and potentially more lower midrange presence in the 800 are giving the illusion of a thicker/weightier midrange that seems less clear.

A bigger room would only help in this regard if the speakers are right up against back/sidewalls. Having them further away from walls would reduce the effective amount of bafflestep compensation and thin out the lower mids potentially giving the illusion of greater clarity. Yours are already a decent distance away so it's possible that the intended balance of the 802s was to actually have them closer to the walls than you did and you were used to the lower mid being slightly thinner.

Usually a thicker/warmer lower mid results in a softer presentation though. If the lack of softness is coming from the mid tweeter integration/presence region then it's possible that you need to adjust your listening height.

I would assume that the 800s place the mid/tweeter pod higher off the ground than the 802s? The 800 series are very sensitive to the listening height as a result of the shallow crossover, high crossover frequency and wide spacing between the mid/tweet. From what I've read you can adjust the tonal balance quite significantly by changing the height you listen at. Maybe sit on some cushions or something to see if you can make things to your liking.